Last July the special forces soldier was sentenced to two years in military detention, suspended for 12 months, by a military court in Bulford, Wiltshire.

He was found guilty of having a 9mm Glock pistol and more than 300 rounds of ammunition in the bedroom of his shared Army house.

The pistol was found in Nightingale's wardrobe and ammunition was under his bed in a plastic box. He claimed he had no knowledge of them being in his bedroom.

Nightingale had pleaded not guilty to possession of a prohibited firearm between November 26, 2007 and September 16, 2011, and also denied possession of the ammunition on or about September 16, 2011.

He was originally jailed for 18 months in November 2012 for the offences, but had his sentence cut after appeal judges concluded it was too harsh - it was reduced to 12 months suspended, resulting in his release.

His conviction was then quashed in March 2013 by appeal judges and a fresh trial was ordered.

The soldier, 39, who served in the former Yugoslavia, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan during a military career starting in 1995, received a medical discharge, remaining in the Army until it commenced in February.